I am not 100% sure about this, but that sounds incredibly intrusive and I would have kicked that doctor right in his frekaing face, period end of story.

I am assuming (not by knowing but simply logicaly reasoning here) that there are other ways of allow the uterus to expel whats in it. For one, when you get up to go potty after delivery, for two, uterine massage...

Didn't that hurt like H*LL?

Jeez, I agree. I think unless placenta (that was allowed to be birthed in PROPER timing, NOT forced/pulled out) is stuck, hands shouldn't be up there. I think you (not you really, but the care provider) is just asking for an infection. And placentas probably *shouldn't* even come out for at least 15 minutes or so after a birth. Mine didn't until an hour with dd, and I've heard of longer too. I think doctors rush it.

This happened to my friend. It is unessasary and should not be done, if you breastfeed the baby right away it makes the uterus contract and it goes back to the original state. It also makes the placenta come out. I am sorry that happened to you. It would be a great thing to look up on the internet and maybe read about.

i birthed with a midwife but since i had a fourth degree tear, an OB had to come in to sew me up. after he had finished the stitches, he stuck his whole arm up there and "pumped" it over and over while shoving down on my stomach. it was a horrible experience. i had no warning, and stifled my screams with my hands clamped over my mouth. i really, really hope it doesn't happen again, to any of us!

__________________Heather.Wife to Tyler. Mama to Jack, Oliver, Augustus and Leona Violet, brand new.
Part time Social Worker, Part time College Instructor, Full time Happy/Exhausted.

I am not 100% sure about this, but that sounds incredibly intrusive and I would have kicked that doctor right in his frekaing face, period end of story.

I am assuming (not by knowing but simply logicaly reasoning here) that there are other ways of allow the uterus to expel whats in it. For one, when you get up to go potty after delivery, for two, uterine massage...

I have had the uterine massage done in hospital and I did iton my own with my last delivery, but NEVER had someone stick their whole hand up in there.

Didn't that hurt like H*LL?

Yes, it hurt like hell. And the reason she had to go so far in is that the placenta was still attached on the upper wall (which when you 9 mo. pregnant is under your rib cage and fingers just don't do the trick). I don't think she jumped the gun at all...she was working to save my life while other doctors worked to save my son. There ARE other ways for the uterus to expel whats in it, and yes there was pulling and much massaging before she went in like that. Sometimes nature needs a little help.
I am not a doula but I did attend medical school, graduate with honors, and do my internship in the ER and L&D. You may judge the dr. and think I am insane for being ok with it in the end...but she did keep me informed, asked for my consent, and did her best. And if she hadn't done what she did things could have gotten MUCH worse!
There may be many cases where it is not called for and other actions can be taken...and by all means, please be educated about them when you get in there. But for me in my case...i felt confident in my dr. and completely support her!

I have a friend where she actually has a condition (can't remember the name) where the placenta actually grows into the uterus and can't be expelled normally. They didn't catch it w/ her first baby and she told me about her OB doing what you described (reaching in & manually extracting the pieces). W/ her second, they didn't know it hadn't all come out, until she had reached 6-8 weeks postpartum and was STILL bleeding! She had to have a D&C, and the OB said that it should be a 15 minute procedure - well, it was and HOUR and a HALF to peel it all away tiny piece by tiny piece. They sent some pieces away for pathology and confirmed this condition and recommended that she not have any more children as it can lead to hemorraging during delivery...

I won't argue whether this is medically necessary or not, cuz I don't know. It seems to me though that the OP, (and others) would not have freaked out about it had the doctor first explained that A)the bleeding needs to be stopped,(or I need to make sure all the placenta is out) B)This is what I need to do in order to make that happen, and C) It's going to hurt, but I'll try to make it as quick and painless as possible. A little information goes a long way.

__________________
Today there is no black or white, only shades of gray.

I had an unmedicated delivery, and my midwife did the exact same thing because my placenta did not fully deliver. That was the most painful part of my 23 hour labor and delivery. I sure hope it doesn't happen again with #2!

Im glad Im not alone in this! I had the epidural, and was not wearing my glasses. I was watching in the mirror after the baby came out (9lb, 3oz.) and was quite surprised when I saw the doc scooping-elbow deep!! After that, she stitched, a lot. I thought it was wierd that she didnt just wait for things to happen on thier own, and my Mother was shocked to watch! She had 4 babies completly natural, and has never seen something like that!

I had to have a dr. I didn't know deliver my 3rd and he pulled on the cord after baby came out. It hurt!! I freaked a little and was like, "STOP doing that". Of course he was telling me he wasn't doing anything, but I felt like he hadn't given me a chance to deliver the placenta yet before tugging it out. I can't imagine what you're describing and am VERY thankful it never happend to me and VERY sorry it happened to anyone else, needed or not.